A former Fresno police officer testified Wednesday in his federal criminal trial that he put a 20-ounce beer bottle near a suspect -- even though he discovered the potential weapon more than 100 feet away.
Sean Plymale also admitted that he wrote in his police report that suspect Rolando Celdon told him in "plain English" that he had used "cranka," a slang term for methamphetamines, even though Celdon speaks Spanish and a test later revealed that Celdon hadn't used drugs or alcohol.
In addition, Plymale testified he changed his initial report from Celdon holding a beer bottle to him reaching for one.
Plymale, 43, spent all day answering questions about the October 2005 arrest of Celdon, who was punched and kicked, bitten by a police dog, shot with a stun gun and blasted several times with a bean-bag shotgun.
Fresno Bee, 1/30/13. Sgt. Manfredi, the third defendant to testify, continues his testimony Friday. Fresno Bee, 1/31/13